Gay Ball State student says attack was hate crime

May 14, 2008

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — A gay Ball State University student said he and his friends were attacked because of their sexuality, leaving him with a scratched cornea, a swollen eye, cuts and bruises. Kyle Flood, 21, of Indianapolis, said the attack occurred around 3 a.m. Friday as he and four friends were leaving Moe's bar.

Two college-age men on foot approached the group and started cursing Flood and his friends, referring to their sexuality. Pushing and shoving ensued, and Flood said he was knocked to the ground and punched in the face.

"I consider it a hate crime," said Flood, who was treated for his injuries at Ball Memorial Hospital.

No arrests had been made as of Monday.

News of the attack spread among students this week, said Travis Schilla, president of Spectrum, an advocacy group for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students.

Students should not panic, but should keep aware of their surroundings and travel to and from bars and social events in groups, he said.

"Ball State is really a safe campus and the administration has taken this seriously," Schilla said. "Everyone is taking this seriously. It's been really good to see that people care."

Ball State University Police Chief Gene Burton said attacks on gay students were rare.

"Let me put it this way, I've seen it before," Burton said. "But I could not tell you the last time."

Crimes based on sexual orientation represented 15 percent of all hate crimes reported in FBI hate crime statistics in 2006, and 12.2 percent of all hate crimes Â? about one in eight Â? occurred on college campuses, said Mark Potok, director of The Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project, a hate crime monitoring group.

Hate based on sexual orientation is "the last bastion of acceptable discrimination and bigotry," Potok said.